community in California
Honey bee forage in Spaulding, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (32nd). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.34 mi W.
When is the honey flow in Spaulding?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Spaulding, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Spaulding
Mostly: Open water; California Montane Jeffrey Pine-(Ponderosa Pine) Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.64 mi NW.
How Spaulding ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 26th | 37th | 52nd | 73rd |
| California | 35th | 32nd | 77th | 97th |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 41st | 59th | 28th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Spaulding: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stones Landing 4 mi · Susanville 17 mi · Johnstonville 22 mi · Little Valley 26 mi · Westwood 27 mi · Clear Creek 28 mi
All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Spaulding (40.6557, -120.7863); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.